Countless Secret Scriptures

Old Zhong's study is antique and has a strong sense of history, with a mysterious atmosphere that highlights the extraordinary charm of the place.

Judging from those rows of bookshelves, they were all very elaborate. Upon closer inspection, they were engraved with special symbols, such as the swastika and the Yin-Yang Bagua diagram.

"Some of these bookshelves come from ancient temples, and some come from long-standing Daoist temples," Zhong Qing explained.

Chen Yongjie nodded. Old Zhong was too particular about his life; all the things he used had some kind of backing.

The bookshelves were filled with books, including bamboo slips, ancient books that were yellowed and even had wormholes, and picture albums made of silk.

After being nourished by the Super Material, some of these books began to glow, and faint sounds seemed to emanate from an extremely distant place, while blurry patterns also appeared.

In a daze, some ancient books reflected hazy human figures, some in seclusion, some meditating, and others fighting with ferocious birds and beasts, revealing a magnificent phantom of an ancient and Supernatural World!

Of course, these distant and ethereal scenes can only be perceived by extraordinary beings; ordinary people are unaware of them.

Wang Xuan pondered, if ordinary people never see it, and their supernatural powers never manifest in the world, but people with strong Mental Power can see these anomalies, would they think it is some kind of mental illness?

With the decline of the Super Material, perhaps spiritual energy will still have some power in the future. Is it possible that mythology can only live in the minds of perceptive humans?

"Great-Grandpa," Zhong Qing called softly.

Chen Yongjie was feeling annoyed when he discovered that Old Zhong still had a shell on his body that hadn't shed. The Golden Cicada Technique had allowed him to successfully live out his second life.

At this moment, Old Chen was also somewhat surprised. Zhong Yong was lying on a vine chair that was as green as jade, where there was a strong sense of vitality.

Especially on the back of the chair, two fresh, tender leaves are growing on a vine, lush and green, exuding a sense of new life.

This chair was unearthed from the ruins. Over the long years, tender leaves have still grown on it, which suggests that it has an extraordinary origin.

Wang Xuan used his Spiritual Heavenly Eye to observe and saw Zhong Yong's true form inside the cicada shell. He had thick, shiny black hair and an extremely young face, having aged many years in reverse compared to when he was in the secret place!

Zhong Yong looks to be only around twenty years old. His condition is simply unbelievable; he seems to be getting younger and younger.

He truly mastered the Golden Cicada Technique. This mysterious Ancient Method was like a cicada crawling out of the ground, shedding its shell, flying into the sky, and living a more brilliant life.

Even Wang Xuan became interested and wanted to study this technique. In this special Exhausted Era, how did Old Zhong transform into this person in New Star?

"Here you are, brother," Zhong Yong said.

"Xiao Qing, serve tea." He sent Zhong Qing away.

"Yongjie, seeing you reminds me of your master, who was my sworn brother. It's such a pity that he was swallowed by the light rain in a mysterious event. Back then, we went into various ruins and dangerous places together, sharing life and death. I still feel heartache for him to this day!"

Old Chen stared at him. This old guy immediately touched a forbidden spot in his heart, mentioning his master, which immediately caused him to have emotional fluctuations.

Chen Yongjie felt that there was 80% exaggeration in what he said. This old guy was terrified of death, so how could he possibly go to explore the ruins himself?

"After each Mysterious Contact incident, the light rain disappears, leaving behind an ancient weapon. Look, that ancient sword under the bookshelf was left behind by New Star. Someone picked it up, and I bought it for a high price so that I could find your master in the future. I haven't given up the search yet!"

Old Chen's pupils contracted as he saw the long sword not far away, its design ancient and simple. He walked over and lightly slashed at it with his Black Longsword, leaving no mark.

Without a doubt, the ancient sword is an indestructible weapon, and like the Black Longsword in his hand, it is a weapon that was left behind after the Mysterious Contact incident.

"Xiao Jie..." Zhong Yong spoke again.

Old Chen felt a chill run down his spine and quickly interrupted, saying, "Alright, just call me Xiao Chen, I accept it!"

"Xiao Chen, I believe your master is still alive and will be found. Back then, your master came to my study to study scriptures. When he saw you, he thought of him. My bookshelves are now all open to you. Go and study whichever one you like."

Chen Yongjie immediately perked up and forgot about taking the blame for him; Old Zhong still had a broad perspective. On the rows of bookshelves, various scriptures seemed to be emitting sounds, surrounded by Mysterious Symbol —it was incredibly eye-catching.

"Young Master Wang, you are a force to be reckoned with!" Old Zhong praised Wang Xuan generously. At this moment, he himself was still a young man, but he was a real old fox.

Zhong Qing happened to return and almost threw her tea set away when she heard this form of address. How could she possibly respond to Old Zhong's address based on their seniority?

"Old Zhong," Wang Xuan replied. For a time, although he wanted to enter Old Zhong's study, he tried his best to avoid running into Old Zhong himself, fearing that he would be arrested and dissected. Now he could finally face him openly.

"I heard from Xiao Qing that every time you come to our house, you stare at my study for a long time with a green eye. After hearing this, I was terrified and wondered if you would barge in and stab me."

Wang Xuan didn't believe him. There used to be Pool of Rebirth here, and anyone whose primordial spirit wandered in would be swallowed up. Why would Old Zhong be afraid?

"I do have a few extraordinary books here. I think you already know what they are, since I've been wanting to give them to you!" Zhong Yong said.

"Just like that?" Wang Xuan was a little stunned. Old Zhong was too generous.

A very young voice came from inside the Old Zhong shell, saying, "If you come with us, sever all ties with the mortal world, and even let Zhong Qing marry you, how about it? Come with us into deep space."

"Great-Grandpa!" Zhong Qing blushed.

"Little Zhong is indeed very beautiful and a very kind person. She has helped me a lot, but I can't sever my ties with this mortal world. My parents are still in the Old Earth, and there are still some people waiting for me to save and guide. I can't leave," Wang Xuan said.

"Then let's meet again in the deep space. At this stage, you can't sever your ties with the mortal world, and I'm a little afraid. You've been targeted by the most powerful beings behind the Great Curtain." Old Zhong told him frankly that he was about to leave.

"Old Zhong, is there anything I can help you with?" Wang Xuan felt that since Old Zhong had given him Supreme Ancient Text, he would feel bad if he didn't reciprocate in some way.

"I've heard you have no shortage of Mysterious Factor. If you have enough, please replenish my carpet with some," Old Zhong said, gesturing for Zhong Qing to fetch an animal hide.

"A Qilin skin?!" Chen Yongjie came closer. He had heard that Old Zhong always wore an Auspicious Beast all year round, and now he finally saw it.

"Inner Scenery Treasure?!" Wang Xuan was also surprised. This animal hide contained a whole universe within it. It was a divine object that someone had refined into a mortal world before the Inner Scenery Realm was destroyed, and it was transformed into Inner Scenery Treasure.

Over the long term, he had only discovered one other Inner Scenery Treasure in the secret realm: the Supreme Treasure Nurturing Life Furnace, which was taken from within it.

"There aren't many active ingredients inside," Old Zhong said.

The space inside the beast-hide inner realm is vast. As expected of a rare treasure crafted from the hide of the Sacred Beast Qilin, this is a rare artifact that only top ancient sects could possess, and it is extremely rare in the world.

It is said that there are no living Qilins left in the immortal realm behind the Great Curtain.

Wang Xuan stared at Old Zhong's cicada shell with a deep gaze. This old guy, if he doesn't speak, he's fine, but once he opens his mouth, he wants to exhaust him to death by refilling this Inner Scenery Treasure with Mysterious Factor.

Moving things from those ancient temples and Daoist monasteries would indeed be a huge undertaking.

However, he now possesses four immortal bones, which can be opened entirely by force.

"Alright then." Wang Xuan agreed and took out the Zhong family's Pool of Rebirth, which was originally intended to be returned to Old Zhong. Then he took out a piece of real bone.

Boom!

He activated it on the spot, and then a blurry figure rushed out from the Inner Scenery Realm, only to be swallowed up by the gray pool in an instant.

In the Inner Scenery Realm corresponding to the True Bone, Mysterious Matter were scattered, and this world was full of cracks, as if it would collapse soon.

Is this because that true immortal was killed by Wang Xuan with the God Slaying Banner, or is it because the mortal world is depleted, the environment of heaven and earth has changed, and the Inner Scenery Realm is also decaying?

Wang Xuan said nothing, placing the True Bone into the inner realm of the animal skin, allowing the Super Material within the True Bone's Inner Scenery Realm to fully pour out.

The advantage of the Inner Scenery Treasure is that it allows you to collect all the Mysterious Factor without wasting a single one.

If Old Zhong uses it sparingly, it can really last the Zhong family a long time.

Wang Xuan broke open two pieces of immortal bone and placed them inside the Auspicious Beast.

"Take any scriptures you like, I'll take some of the rest, and leave the less important ones behind," Zhong Yong said.

Wang Xuan walked over and immediately spotted the Pre-Qin Golden Bamboo Slips. This was the second set, still consisting of twenty-seven pieces, as lustrous as jade and as heavy as celestial gold, very substantial in his hand.

Old Chen had already studied it, and looked helpless. He felt that Buddhist scriptures were easier to practice. This scripture was particularly difficult for him to adapt to, and he almost vomited blood while practicing it.

The engravings on the surface are recognizable, but most of the characters are unfamiliar. One can only explore them spiritually, resonate with them, and perceive their meaning.

Wang Xuan was also a bit confused. This passage was somewhat different from the one he obtained from the Golden Bamboo Slip at the Sun family. He resonated with it spiritually, grasped its true meaning, and wanted to practice it, but his blood and qi surged, and his heart made a terrifying sound like thunder, almost... exploding.

He knew that this training method was wrong and there was definitely a problem, so he stopped for the time being.

"Over there are all the important Buddhist scriptures; you can take a look," Zhong Yong instructed Old Chen.

Chen Yongjie went over and immediately started watching... completely absorbed, but in the end he dared not watch anymore. He was really afraid that one day he would shave his head and become a Buddhist monk.

"I need to find a balance, practice some Daoist techniques, and learn swordsmanship, to cultivate a murderous aura and immerse myself in the mortal world!" he reminded himself.

Old Zhong said, "I have Daoist school Supreme Scripture Fragment here, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to understand them all these years."

A Five-Colored Jade Book, inscribed with strange characters that even experts in the field of ancient script research could not decipher, suggests that this book is extremely ancient!

Only by becoming an extraordinary being and achieving spiritual resonance can one perceive a portion of the true meaning of the Great Dao.

Wang Xuan and Old Chen tried to sense and resonate with it, but they both frowned. This thing was too difficult to understand and seemed to be out of step with what they had learned.

What kind of experience is this? Wang Xuan felt it was like the feeling he had when practicing the stone tablet scriptures—absurdly difficult, almost unfathomable, and impossible to master through normal means.

"I suspect that this thing actually has a more ancient origin, the source of which is untraceable. It eventually fell into the hands of Daoist school and was mistakenly regarded by later generations as the Supreme Scriptures of Daoist school."

"If you can't understand it right away, just resonate with it and memorize the obscure and difficult-to-understand true meaning of the Great Dao. In case the extraordinary disappears completely one day and even this scripture can no longer be read, it may turn into a silent and unmoving jade slab again."

After that, Wang Xuan didn't open the Immortal Bone Can. Instead, he and Old Chen stayed there, memorizing various classic texts and studying scriptures that had been lost outside, completely engrossed in their work.

Unable to comprehend the Five-Colored Jade Book, the two could only keep it in their hearts for the time being. As for the peerless chapters of the Daoist Ancestral Court, they were engrossed in reading them.

In addition, Old Zhong has a stone slab with nine human figures and some annotations. This is a simplified version of the stone slab scripture, which captures three-tenths of the true meaning. Someone once tried to practice it but failed and wrote down some of his insights.

Wang Xuan didn't miss a single scripture, and he didn't even miss the most basic physical techniques, from fist techniques to body movements. He memorized all the scriptures with his powerful mental domain.

With no glimmer of hope in sight and no extraordinary new path to follow, he wanted to stand on the shoulders of his predecessors to see further, and he couldn't miss any of the classic texts.

For two whole days, Wang Xuan felt dizzy and lightheaded. Even with his powerful mental perception, reciting a massive amount of scriptures made him feel like he was about to explode.

In any case, Old Zhong's study was filled with all sorts of secret texts, covering a wide range of topics, including Daoist scriptures, Buddhist texts, secret techniques of demonic cultivators, and even demonic texts. At least in terms of what he had seen and heard, his eyes were opened.

Some methods are beyond comprehension. For example, the demonic cultivator's Primordial Spirit Coffin Method allows him to lie dormant within the primordial spirits of others without consuming any energy. The chosen "coffin" remains unaware until the cultivator passes away. Only then will the powerful demonic cultivator within the dormant "primordial spirit coffin" awaken, either manifesting in the Real World or seeking a suitable "primordial spirit coffin" to sleep in.

When Wang Xuan read this scripture, he was startled. He wondered if there were people who remained in the mortal world and did not enter the inner sanctum.

Various ancient texts naturally include secret chapters about the demon race, such as the Heavenly Demon Reincarnation Technique, which allows one to instantly capture a powerful prey, undergo a reincarnation within its body, and obtain all of the prey's destiny.

In just two days, Wang Xuan broadened his horizons, and a vast amount of scriptures entered his mind, enough for him to study and digest from then on.

He then spent another day in brief reflection, specifically searching for scriptures related to the Earth element to verify his current state of being.

Finally, Wang Xuan opened his eyes, feeling that he had sorted things out and could now enter the Inner Scenery Realm to meditate, taking advantage of that most active state of mind and consciousness to comprehend the Dharma and himself.

In fact, Old Zhong was getting quite impatient, wishing he could retreat immediately and enter deep space.

"It's finally about to begin!" Qin Cheng rubbed his hands together, he had never been inside the Inner Scenery Realm before, and he was very excited.

"It's a pity that Qing Mu didn't come to New Star." Old Chen regretted missing a great opportunity, but it didn't matter, he knew that Wang Xuan might be going to the Old Earth soon.

"Transcendent, here I come!" Zhong Cheng was excited, mistakenly believing that entering the Inner Scenery Realm once would allow him to transform and directly step into the Supernatural Domain.

"Be more careful!" Zhong Qing admonished him.

Finally, Wang Xuan was ready to open the Inner Scenery Realm. When he was still at the Quasi-Grandmaster level, he had guided Qing Mu and Old Chen into the Inner Scenery Realm, and at that time he was so exhausted that he almost vomited blood.

Now that he is a transcendent being, at the late stage of the Life Soil Realm, he feels that it shouldn't be so strenuous anymore.

In a vast expanse, a blinding sword light shot into the sky, seemingly cutting off time and freezing the entire world in mid-air. It actually cleaved the curtain in two in an instant!

Furthermore, that sword light sliced open one of the five small moons outside the life-bearing planet corresponding to the real world with a "poof" sound!

"The World-Crossing Sword!"

Behind the Great Curtain, a peerless powerhouse roared!

At this moment, Wang Xuan was stunned. What was going on? He froze on the spot, holding the immortal bone, completely dumbfounded.

He immediately realized that his Inner Scenery Realm was about to be forcibly opened automatically for a moment, and he even caught a glimpse of the Nurturing Life Furnace inside!

"No, it's this! This treasure furnace is about to appear!" Wang Xuan was certain that he was not in a life-or-death crisis and had not reached a state of Super-Sense, so it was definitely not him who was about to open the Inner Scenery Realm.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to all my fellow book lovers!